9712343 Handel Exploratory research is funded to investigate the practical applicability of high-( paraelectric and ferroelectric materials as gate insulation materials in heterostructure field effect transistors. The research includes verification of stability of high-( surface barrier layers, stability of the resulting device characteristics, possible quantum 1/f noise enhancement through remote piezophonon effects, etc. Also included is development of an analytical description which allows for the optimization of the HFETs. ***